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School News - Tip Sheet - 4/16/2008

Students Artwork Displayed In D.C. 

4/16/2008

Going to Washington, DC, anytime soon? If so, be sure to stop by the John F. Kennedy Center and check out two pieces of artwork produced by TPS students.

It began when an international non-profit organization called Very Special Arts solicited artwork for a competition open to students between five and 15 years of age. Nimitz reading teacher Kimberly Fonder encouraged her charges to participate and students Jamarri Williams and Keyone Murillo scored, picked by officials to have their artwork represent Oklahoma in a national display displayed at the Kennedy Center.

Williams’ work is called “My House” and depicts an essay he authored for class. “I’m Dreamed This One Up!” and is, as the title suggests, a representation of a dream the child had one night.

 

Carver Teacher Wins Geological Society Honors 

4/16/2008

Laura Barnes, an eighth-grade physical science teacher at Carver Middle School, is the Tulsa Geological Society’s Teacher of the Year for 2008.

Barnes won the award for her scientific study of organic and inorganic energy resources and their origin, discovery, extraction and historical and present use. She was lauded for her emphasis on the preservation of the environment, reclamation and conservation of resources, and the use of earth science knowledge in decision-making.

At Carver, Barnes is known for creative, meaningful hands-on lessons.

“We are very proud of Laura. She is an example of the excellent teachers we have at Carver who make it the special place that it is. She is an asset to our science department,” said Carver Principal Micheal Johnson.

Barnes will be honored with a luncheon at the Petroleum Club in May. She is now a candidate for the American Association of Petroleum Geologists National Award for Excellence in Teaching.

 

Memorial's Robotics Teams Heads to Atlanta 

4/17/2008

A Tulsa business and Memorial High School are taking their robot to Atlanta. After several regional competitions and awards, NORDAM engineers and engineering students are ready for the FIRST Robotics Competition Championship.

The Memorial Robotics Team, sponsored by The NORDAM Group, qualified for the national competition by winning the most prestigious award at the St. Louis regional event. The Regional Chairman’s Award honors the team that best represents the goals of FIRST and acts as a role model for other teams. This marks the third year that NORDAM and Memorial have partnered in the competition.

The FIRST Robotics Competition challenges teams of student teams and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using an assigned "kit of parts" and a standard set of rules. Teams construct robots and enter them in competitions designed by inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen, Dr. Woodie Flowers, and a committee of engineers and other professionals.

In addition to the Regional Chairman’s Award, Lane Matheson, director of the Tulsa Engineering Academy at Memorial, was presented with the Woodie Flowers Award. This award is given to an outstanding engineer or teacher who demonstrates excellence in teaching science, math, and creative design. Matheson was recognized as a mentor who leads, inspires, and empowers students through example.

“I truly enjoy teaching a class that is really about life. Students have to work together, supervise each other, show initiative, and meet deadlines,” said Matheson. “When students are highly successful on a robotics team, then they have a template for being highly successful in life.”

The FIRST Championship will be held from April 17 to April 19 and will be televised on NASA-TV.

 

"Oklahoma" Comes to Memorial 

4/17/2008, 7:30 p.m.

Oklahoma! Ohhhhklahoma!

The classic by Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers gets the full star-studded treatment at Memorial High School this weekend.

John Plum, Memorial’s director of fine arts and vocal music, reports the production is no small affair: It has a cast, crew, and orchestra of over 70 people.

It has now been 65 years since the play opened on Broadway, where it “instantly became an American treasure,” Plum said.

Performances are April 17, 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Memorial’s Call Hall. The cost of the show is $10 for adults, $8 for students. You can reserve your seat by calling 833-9645 or by emailing Plum at plumjo@tulsaschools.org.

 

Bell Holds Open Mike Night 

4/17/2008, 6:30 p.m.

From sonnets to jintishi, haiku to freestyle, Open Mike Night is coming to Bell Elementary.

And you’re invited to let the audience hear what’s been rambling ‘round your head and filling up your notebook.

Occurring in conjunction with April’s designation as National Poetry Month, Bell’s open mike on April 17 is the latest in a series of events the school has coordinated the neighborhood at large. Some 30 people showed up to a similar event last year.

“People really had fun,” said Bell librarian Cynthia Appel. “There were quite a few giggles and grins.”

 

Adult Ed Graduates Walk the Aisle 

4/18/2008, 7:30 p.m.

The public and members of the media are invited to observe the culmination of a success story: Scores of area residents that returned to school to pursue a GED and earn a diploma.

Adult Education Senior Specialist David Troutman says 45-percent of people taking the GED fail the first time, making Friday night's graduation even more impressive.

“This ceremony is a very important landmark for most of our graduates,” Troutman said. “Many of our graduates have overcome various obstacles in life while raising a family, working long hours and still attend classes at night.”

The ceremony takes place at Fulton Teaching and Learning Academy. TPS Director of Public Information Tami Marler will be the guest speaker. Graduates are available for interviews. Contact Troutman at 833-8904 for more information.

 

Broadway Star to Perform in Round-Up 2008 

4/19/2008, 7 p.m.

A Class of ’59 graduate that made her mark on Broadway in multiple musicals is the special guest star as “Round-Up 2008: Can-Can If You Can-Can!” hits Will Rogers High School for three straight days: April 17, 18 and 19.

Jackie Alloway Reichman is set to perform with the cast on the evening of April 19. The curtain goes up at 7 p.m. all three nights.

Alloway Reichman performed the lead in the 1967 Broadway revival of "By Jupiter” that ran for 118 performances. She also originated the role of Fay Templeton in "George M!," lighting up the stage from April 10, 1968, to April 26, 1969.

Costs for the performance range from $5 to $20. Contact the school’s Kristina Vassella for more information.

 

Spruce up Tulsa: Trees Planted at Disney Elementary to Counteract Storm’s Devastation 

4/21/2008, 1:30 p.m.

Johnny Appleseeds-in-training shine April 21 at Disney Elementary. The school plays host as city leaders and a large retailer attempt to repair the damage caused by last December’s ice storms.

ReGreen Tulsa and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc are planting $12,000 worth of trees at Disney. They’ll be joined by Mayor Kathy Taylor and approximately 20 Wal-Mart employees distributing re-usable shopping bags with packets of seeds to Disney fourth and fifth graders.

Formed in the wake of those brutal ice storms, ReGreen Tulsa is a program aimed at planting 20,000 trees by December 2010 on both private property and public sites. Program efforts will focus on the two areas most devastated by the storm, neighborhoods and parks, and will include educational efforts encompassing how to plant trees so that they thrive in Tulsa soils and how to care for them so that they survive Tulsa’s challenging climate.

 

TPS Human Resources Officer Honored For Saving Scores of Jobs 

4/21/2008, 4:30 p.m.

TPS human resources officer Bill Naftzger is being honored for his efforts in ensuring district paraprofessionals meet federal guidelines. He’ll be recognized by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education at 4:30 p.m on April 21 at Rose State College.

A couple years ago Naftzger had a serious dilemma. Under the just-passed No Child Left Behind legislation, some 150 TPS paraprofessionals—assistants to special education teachers—were suddenly under qualified and in danger of losing their jobs. He immediately contacted officials at Tulsa Community College. The upshot: TPS and TCC collaborated on creating a new program enabling the paraprofessionals to complete training and continue towards an associate’s degree. Today all paraprofessionals in the TPS system have met the No Child Left Behind mandates and at least three have earned associate’s degrees from TCC.

 

Chouteau Principal to Receive Award for Arts Excellence 

4/22/2008, 7 p.m.

Dr. Michael Burk, principal at Chouteau Elementary, is being recognized for his commitment to arts education programs. He’ll be honored at the State Superintendent Awards for Arts Excellence ceremony at the Scottish Rite Temple in Guthrie on April 22.

The awards are sponsored by the Oklahoma Alliance for Arts Education, a state affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., and are underwritten by the Masonic Fraternity of Oklahoma. The awards have been handed out for nearly three decades and are given to individuals that have made outstanding contributions to arts education.

 

Attorneys Take Hamilton Students to State Capitol 

4/24/2008

Students at Hamilton Middle School get an up-close–and-personal look at the inner workings of state government when they take a tour of the State Capitol on Thursday, April 24.

Sponsored by several local legal groups—the Tulsa County Bar Association, the Tulsa County Bar Foundation and the Oklahoma Bar Association—the tour is a reward for completing a course study called, "We the People: The Citizen and The Constitution.” The course is a nationwide curriculum funded by the U.S. Department of Education, and directed by the Center for Civic Education. It teaches the history and current application of the Constitution and the Bill Of Rights.

The bar association and foundation have been involved with Hamilton, teaming up with students for a lunch-buddy program and presenting an annual Law Day at the school.

 

Top 5 Teacher of the Year Finalists 

4/25/2008, 4:45

Dr. Zolkoski, Board member Ruth Ann Fate, and the Teacher of the Year Selection Committee had the distinct honor of visiting Tulsa Public Schools’ top five candidates for TPS Teacher of the Year at their schools on Tuesday, April 15. The vanload of district officials surprised each finalist with a “Blockbuster Movie Bucket” filled with popcorn, candies and gift cards.

The ToY selection committee observed and interviewed thirteen semifinalists through the month of March. The competition was grueling. Each and every site representative provides a shining example of education at its very best; and any one of them would make a fine Oklahoma Teacher of the Year
Sadly, Tulsa Public Schools can only have one Teacher of the Year for 2008. We believe this year’s representative will turn heads at the state competition in the summer. We may even have a national winner!

The 2008 TPS Teacher of the Year will be selected from the following five finalists:

Brian Balaskovits, Zarrow International School – Pre-K and Kindergarten
Terry Beach, East Central High School – Language Arts
Jill Davis, Kendall-Whittier Elementary School - Kindergarten
Cindy Mudroch, Eliot Elementary School – Special Education
Joey Newsom, Thoreau Demonstration Academy – Math and Science

Congratulations to all of the schools that submitted such wonderful candidates for this year’s TPS Teacher of the Year.

We hope to see you at the April 25th employee banquet, Big Band Friday Night, at the Tulsa Fairgrounds. The District Teacher of the Year will be named, along with the TPS Support Employee of the Year, TPS Retirees and 30- and 40-Year Employees.

Thanks so much to everyone who helped shine the spotlight on such a rich complement of talented, committed teachers to represent Tulsa Public Schools.

 

Zarrow 5K Run 

4/26/2008, 7:30 a.m.

The sixth annual Zarrow 5K Run is coming up April 26, with the Riverside Drive event again benefiting the Foundation for Tulsa Schools.

A one kilometer fun run occurs simultaneously. Early registration costs are: $20 for the 5k run, $10 for the fun run; same-day registration for the 5k is $25, $15 for the fun run. Early registration must be postmarked by April 19. Make checks out to the TPS Athletic Department, PO Box 470208 Tulsa, OK 74147-0208.

 

Park Celebrates a Century 

5/2/2008, 10:30 a.m

Park Elementary School celebrates its ten carat diamond anniversary on May 2, marking a century that the school has been in existence. Taking place from 10:30 a.m. until 12:45 p.m., the celebration includes the school’s annual May Pole event along with a hamburger cookout and entertainment by area performers.

Located in West Tulsa’s Red Fork community, Park was established in 1908, one year after Oklahoma became a state. Park became a part of TPS in 1927. Their current building was built in 1972.

Anyone interested in attending the celebration should RSVP to stoddju@tulsaschools.org or call 746-8860.

 

A Day at the Aquarium 

5/6/2008, 10 a.m.

Children attending Mark Twain Elementary School are taking a trip to the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks courtesy of a national retailer with local stores.

The Target Corporation is footing the bill for the students to check out the aquarium’s numerous marine and aquatic animal exhibits.

The aquarium is public and non-profit, dedicated to the mission, “Conservation Through Education.” Located on the Arkansas River, the aquarium opened in 2003.

 

Dr. Z Teaches E=MC2 

5/21/2008

Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Zolkoski grabs the chalk and erasers and heads up to the blackboard as this year’s Superintendent’s Summer Algebra Camp kicks off June 2 and runs until June 13. Yes, Dr. Z is the instructor for a fun and educational experience that’s open to all public and private school students entering the sixth through ninth grades this school year. The camp is tuition-free with transportation provided. In fact, all that interested students need to bring with them is a spiral notebook and pencil—and, of course, their thinking caps.

“I always look forward to each new Algebra Camp and sharing multiple methods of instruction that help students prepare for their next school year,” Zolkoski said.

Anyone interested in the camp should respond to Janice Jones by May 21st at 746-6298 or jonesja@tulsaschools.org.

 

Booker T Students Make Team Oklahoma 

6/6/2008

Dylan Hames and Onkur Sen have their summer plans already set.

At least for a couple of days in June that is.

The two Booker T. Washington students have earned positions on the six-member academic quiz team that will represent the state of Oklahoma at the Panasonic Academic Challenge to be held at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Hames is a senior and Sen is a sophomore. Their trip to the Sunshine State comes after the duo took part in a three- hour competition against students from Oklahoma in the areas of mathematics, science, social studies, and humanities to earn the right to be a part of Team Oklahoma this year. The Panasonic Academic Challenge runs from June 6 through June 11.

 

TPS Teachers Head North to Alaska 

7/1/2008

The incredibly diverse cultures and ecosystems in Alaska have long fascinated researchers and scientists. It’s the largest state in the union, home to 100-degree weather swings, where it’s broad daylight at 2 a.m. during the summer and you can toss a cup of hot coffee outside and watch it freeze before it hits the ground in winter. Now two teachers from Oklahoma—Nimitz Middle School Library Media Specialist Robin Leach and Leslie Brown, an Arts Resource Teacher at Addams, McKinley and Remington elementary schools—have been tapped to receive a 2008 grant award for $10,000 to pursue the Road Scholar program fellowship project.

They’ll be heading to the Great White North on July 1.

“We’re looking at alternative sources of energy and climate change,” Leach said. “We’ll be studying wildlife and Leslie is bringing a tape recorder to make sounds of the environment.”

Students of Leach and Brown will also benefit as the two teachers plan on blogging about their travel experiences and incorporating what they’ve learned in lesson plans.

The Road Scholar program is a not-for-profit service of Elderhostel, an organization providing trips with educational value. Go to www.roadscholar.org/ fore more information.

 

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